


But It Sure Felt Nice When He Was Holding My Hand

by MrSpider945



Series: Modern Stuff - Six: The Musical [1]
Category: Six - Marlow/Moss
Genre: Angst, Other, like legit it's mega angsty
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-29
Updated: 2019-10-06
Packaged: 2020-02-10 00:15:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,353
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18649018
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrSpider945/pseuds/MrSpider945
Summary: Katherine Howard was not what you'd call an angry person. But, like everyone, she had her limits. What happens when said limits are crossed?





	1. I Am Burned Out

**Author's Note:**

> legit y'all this is just angst like have fun  
> my first fic here too, hope you like it uwu
> 
> triggers warnings- mentions of emotionally abusive relationships, sexual assault, and pedophilia. they're only mentions with not much detail but still, be safe, and if at any point you feel uncomfortable please, stop reading.

When you’ve been ignored your whole life whenever you spoke up about something, you tend to internalize a lot of things. Obviously, Kath had gotten better at not doing it ever since she met Parr and the others. But anger was still something she rarely shared, scared of being excluded by them.

However, even she had her breaking point, and she was near it.

“Well, you can’t really blame us for having a little trouble connecting when the only thing we all knew for sure that we had in common is that the same guy fell in love with us.” And there it was. Kath expected it at this point, especially from Aragon- it was one of the lines she said in the show. And yet, the familiar annoyance bubbling inside her showed up again. Only this time, it was actually enough to send her over the edge.

“Heh, yeah, ‘love’.” She muttered, doing air quotes with her fingers. It was enough to catch everyone else’s attention, but she just looked around. “What? I’m not wrong.”

“Um, Kath,” Aragon began hesitantly, and Kath could feel everyone’s gazes on her. It made her want to shrink down and hide, but she stayed calm, at least outwardly. Acting was something that came relatively easily to her, “I don’t mean disrespect, or anything, but what exactly do you mean by that?”

Kath’s eyes narrowed, and she stared at Aragon for a while before chuckling dryly and running a hand through her hair. “C’mon, Catherine. Don’t act dumb. The fucker didn’t love us and you know it.”

This earned a general sense of shock. She knew why, obviously- Kath didn’t speak out about Henry very often, and when she did it was often a quiet sadness that was heard in her voice, not the angry tone she just used.

“Kath, I don’t think that kind of language is necessary.” Jane spoke with a hint of sterness, and Kath had to suppress a laugh, because this was honestly just so fucking hilarious at this point.

“God, don’t fucking patronize me, Jane!” She snapped, and she could see the others recoil. She didn’t care though. “God, you guys like to act like I’m some sweet little baby that has to be protected, but I’m not! Because, and fuck man I don’t like to boast but I’m gonna, I’ve probably got the most tragic out of all our stories!”

She could see the others start to actually listen. Well, if this is what it took, then so be it. She stood up, then looked at Aragon. “And, in case you want proof that he didn’t love us, I’ll go through each of us individually. Although I am going to skip you since, let’s be real, you of all people should know in what ways he fucked you up.”

She turned to Anne, who’s usual cocky smirk was gone, replaced by a frown. “He emotionally abused Anne, making it clear he’d rather had a male child and very clearly acting less, loving, than usual, and then killing her on what grounds? Fucking made up claims, is what they were!”

Then Jane, who seemed… scared? Worried? Kath couldn’t decide, but she didn’t care either. “And Jane, well, let’s be real, he emotionally abused basically all of us, I’m not gonna be saying this every time, but let’s also mention the fact that you had the pressure of being at risk of what happened to Anne happening to you, putting you under even more stress.”

She looked at Anna, who simply stared back. Something in the back of her mind registered the tears beginning to stream down her face, but she didn’t pay it any attention. “And then, the fucker drags Anna over from fucking Germany, thousands of miles away from her home to a country that she didn’t even speak the language of, before simply divorcing her for what, not being as pretty as her portrait made him think she was, which is a complete lie, might I add!”

She turned to Parr, who’d been quiet throughout her monologue, simply staring at the ground. “And then Cath was forced to give up her dreams and her true love in order to marry a guy _twenty three years_ older than her!”

And finally, Kath tried to take a deep breath, finally noticing the tears streaming down her face when it came out as a sob. “And me? I was _sixteen_ Catherine. I was still a child when a man _thirty three years_ older than me forced himself onto me, then locked me up for _months_ because of men ten or more years older than me forced themselves onto me while I was a literal child, while he made a new law _all_ so he could behead me, and he didn’t even fucking show up!” She tried to take a deep breath again, but once more it came out as a sob.

And for once, she realized what she’d been saying, and read the others for their reactions. There seemed to be a unanimous wave of shock settling over them. Well, she wasn’t done, and shutting up now would only lead to her bottling it all right back up. “So-” A sob interrupted her. “So don’t tell me he loved me, okay? Don’t tell me he loved any of us because even Jane, who’s supposed to be “the only one he truly loved,” and I’m sorry Jane but it’s true, was only loved because she gave him a “proper heir,” which is utter bull shit by the way, but whatever. Any one of us could have been in Jane’s place, so don’t tell me he loved us. All he wanted from us was sex and a son. You guys might as well just start coming to terms with the fact.”

And with that, she turned around and left the living room, weaving through the corridors to go straight for her room. She opened the door, closing it behind her before flopping down onto her bed and hugging one of her teddy bears- she couldn’t be bothered to pay attention to which one it was. She buried her face in her pillow, and just let herself cry while clinging onto the toy, slowly tiring herself out up until she had no energy left to stay awake.


	2. 2. Being Awfully Loud For An Introvert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katherine deals with the immediate aftermath of her actions, and Anne finally shares a centuries old secret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fluffier than last part!!!! hope you like it uwuwuwuwuwuwu
> 
> trigger warnings: mentions of abusive relationships and implications of sexual abuse, like in last chapter it's not too specific but it's there so be safe!

Tension was clear to feel in the queens’ household. Even Kath, who had just woken up, could sense it.

 

She knew why, obviously. Her monologue last night had left the queens with quite a bit to think about. Still, she didn’t bother leaving her bed, even after looking at the clock hanging on the wall next to it, only to find out it was nearly mid day.

 

But it was also their free day from the show. No need to hurry. In fact, no need to leave at all, which was exactly what Kath planned on doing, because after last night, the last thing she wanted was more human interaction.

 

So, slowly and with a yawn, she sat up. She tried to run a hand through her hair, but was quickly met with a knot. Wincing slightly in pain, she reached out for her hair brush, before slowly, and carefully, beginning to untangle her hair. She tied it up into a ponytail- no need for anything fancier than that.

 

Then she looked at her clothes- black sweatpants and an oversized hoodie that probably belonged to either Jane or Anne, she couldn’t quite tell. By how big it was on her though, it was probably one of them.

 

At the thought of the two queens, the feelings of last night came rushing back, but Kath tried to push them right back. Instead of focusing on them, she stood up to get new clothes- she was going to take just about anything if it helped her feel better, even if just for a moment.

 

She picked a pink, fluffy long sleeved shirt and jeans- simple, but comfortable. She stretched, pulling her arms above her head, then behind her back with a quiet groan.

 

And then, she heard Jane’s voice come from the hall. 

 

“Cath, I’m leaving lunch for you, alright?”   
  
“Yeah, thank you!”

 

And with that, steps, and then a knock on her door.

 

“Kitty-kat?” Jane called softly, and Kath sighed quietly- there went her hopes of not talking to anyone all day.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“There’s lunch for you in the kitchen, I’m leaving it there for you, alright?”

 

“Kay.”

 

“Okay, if you need anything I’ll be in my room.”

 

More steps, then a door quietly closing. Kitty could feel the tension in Jane’s body as she walked, her steps were just a tiny bit heavier than usual. She herself was tense, but she wasn’t going to focus on that.

 

She looked back at the clock. “12:35…” She murmured, going over where the others would usually be around this time- something she’d memorized a while back for days like these, where she didn’t feel like talking to them.

 

Jane had just said she’d be in her room, which lined up with her usual schedule. Cath usually stayed in her room until around 1 PM, when she’d leave to grab the lunch Jane made her before going back to her room to focus on her writing. Catherine was usually either reading or going through her phone in the living room, and Anne usually either did that or joined Anna on her walk. 

 

Meaning she could probably go downstairs and back to her room without talking to any of them. Perfect.

 

With the math done, she quietly opened the door, glancing around and listening before sneaking downstairs to the kitchen. There were two plates with sandwiches on the counter and glasses of water beside them. Each of the plates had a sticky note in front of it, one that read “Kath” and one that read “Cath”, both in Jane’s neat cursive.

 

Kath smiled, grabbing her plate and her glass before making her way back upstairs as silently and quickly as possible. As soon as she set the glass and plate down on her bedside table, she rushed to shut the door, before propping her phone up against the headboard of her bed and sitting cross legged in front of it, watching Youtube videos while eating.

 

She spent most of the day like that, occasionally stopping to grab a few snacks or drinks from her I Don’t Wanna Get Out Of My Room stash or to go to the bathroom or just, sketch a little or whatever, when she got bored.

 

Obviously, she’d thought about last night- it was on her mind all day, sometimes on the back, sometimes her main train of thought. But she’d always push it back- today was her free day, and she wasn’t going to ruin it by stressing over that.

 

She assumed she’d gotten distracted with the time, because when she actually looked at the clock, it was 1 AM. She felt her stomach growl, and she winced slightly, before sighing and pausing the Vine compilation she’d been watching. “Kitchen it is, I suppose.” She muttered as she stood up and made her way there.

 

She was quiet, trying not to wake up the rest of the queens and thus avoid conversation, but she realized that those efforts were wasted as she looked inside the kitchen, noticing Anne was already there.

 

She was about to slip away when Anne made eye contact, and then they both just stared at each other for a while in awkward silence.

 

“Hello.” Anne eventually let out quietly, before beckoning her closer. Kath hesitated, then walked over, closing the door behind her as she made her way to the kitchen table, sitting beside Anne.

 

“Couldn’t sleep?” Anne nodded in response. “Me either.” She mumbled, resting her head on her hand like a teenager bored in class.

 

They sat in silence once more, Kath anxiously bouncing her leg up and down. She wanted nothing more than to just  _ leave _ , but she knew that’d be rude, and she was scared Anne might be mad at her and didn’t want to make things worse. So, she stayed.

 

“You know,” Anne began, and Kath nearly jumped in surprise, “you’re not the only one he… forced himself onto.” Kath stared at her for a moment, then it hit her, and her eyes widened in horror as it settled in. “Yeah, I wasn’t too keen on the idea of marrying him, or… having sex with him. I’m willing to bet we aren’t the only ones, either.”

 

It wasn’t that Kath wasn’t aware that that was likely the case. It was that, she figured if that were the case, the others would talk about it. That was the whole point of the show, to share the untold side of the story-  _ their _ side of the story.

 

“Why?” She eventually asked, and Anne looked at her in confusion. “Why did you not talk about it? Or better yet, why are you so nonchalant about your story as a whole? Anne, you have one of the most tragic stories out of all of us. And ye-”

 

“Okay, first of all, I think you’re exaggerating a little, Ka-”

 

“ _ How _ am I exaggerating?” Kath stood up, looking at Anne, who seemed to be ready to stand up as well. “You tried to refuse his advances for seven years, and then he… did that, to you. Once you were married, the guy started emotionally abusing you, shaming you for not being able to have sons, and then you got beheaded on false claims of cheating and treason. So  _ how _ , exactly, am I exaggerating?”

 

Anne stayed quiet, then sighed, setting her forearms on the table, one hand on top of the other as she stared at them. “It wasn’t really forcing, honestly. I agreed. I didn’t wanna make him, or people around him, angry. So, it was consensual.” She mumbled, not once making eye contact

 

Kath stared at her, then clenched her fist to keep herself from yelling at her- very clearly, that was the worst possible idea at the moment. So, she took a quick, deep breath, then sat down beside Anne once again. “Did you want to do it, though?”

 

“What?”

 

“Did you want to marry him, or have sex with him?” Kath clarified. “Because consent through fear isn’t consent.”

 

Anne stared at her for a moment, then sighed and silently shook her head. And then was when Kath had to take a moment to make sure she wouldn’t break, because that would not help the situation.

 

So she tapped Anne’s shoulder and, once she was looking at her, opened her arms. Anne gave her a small smile, then all but fell into her arms. Kath reciprocated the hug, holding her close as she closed her eyes.

 

They stayed like that for a while, before Anne sighed quietly and reluctantly let go, sitting back down. “While we’re talking about last night.” She began, and Kath quickly looked down at her feet. “I don’t think any of us exactly disagree with you.”

 

“I mean, maybe Jane would disagree, but you made your point, and you have a pretty strong case. That said, you really could’ve handled that better.” Anne gave her a awkward smile, and Kath smiled back, just as awkwardly, before they both burst into giggles.

 

Eventually, Kath sighed softly as she regained her composure. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.” She murmured, smiling bitterly at her feet. “I was just, tired of keeping it all in. What Catherine said wasn’t even that big of a deal, it was just… the straw that broke the camel's back, you know?”

 

Anne nodded with a dry chuckle. “Yeah, it sounded like you’d been keeping that in for quite a while.” She paused, then took a deep breath and set a hand on Kath’s knee, to get her to face her. “But hey, I’m proud of you, buddy. For, standing up for yourself, and voicing how you feel. Considering… everything that’s happened to you, that must’ve taken guts.”

 

Kath giggled. “To be honest, I was so caught up in the heat of the moment that I didn’t even realize what I was saying until today.” She admitted, and they both laughed. “But thanks. Means a l-” She was cut off by a yawn. “Means a lot.”

 

Anne chuckled. “Tired?” Kath nodded sheepishly, and Anne squeezed her knee. “Go rest. We have a show tomorrow- we need you in your best condition.” Kath nodded, yawning again before standing up and stretching her arms above her head. She started to head out, before stopping as she heard Anne call her name.

 

“Kath?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Don’t mention what happened to the others. Tonight, I mean.”

 

Kath chuckled quietly to herself. “I won’t. I love you Anne. Good night.”

 

“Good night, Kath.” A pause, where Kath wasn’t sure whether or not to leave, and then- “Love you too.”

 

Kath smiled, then turned around and left, quietly closing the door behind her as she began making her way back to her room.


	3. 3. Shiver, But Shiver With A Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kath remembers an old memory, and she and Anna have a heart-to-heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi guys!!!! this chapter is like, pure fluff, apart from a bit of angst by the end
> 
> trigger warnings: none i believe, but do tell me if there are some!!!

After Kat’s outburst, Anna had noticed three major things.

 

She’d noticed the way Kat and Boleyn had begun to stick closer- in fact, it seemed like Kat was avoiding the other queens, apart from Boleyn. She assumed they’d talked- Kat needed to talk to all of them at one point, at least in Anna’s opinion, but if she’d rather go one of them at a time, she figured that was her choice. Still, it worried her, the way Kat seemed to have retreated back into her shell.

 

She’d also noticed Jane’s glances towards the pair. She’d stare at them, with a near grief struck look, then look away. She knew she thought she was being sneaky, but she’d notice. She’d gotten good at noticing small changes in mood in people- they all had, honestly, you had to when you were married to _him_ , but Anna had made sure that skill stayed sharp around those she cared about as well.

 

And finally, she’d noticed how much less time Jane had been spending with them. She’d been out of the house more in general, and was usually the last to arrive to the theatre (something typically reserved for Anna herself) and the first to leave. She’d even had to ask Grace to cover for her on emergency, something that very rarely happened. “A doctor’s appointment, they said they can’t reschedule, I’m sorry,” she’d explained when asked about it, but she hadn’t given them any more details.

 

Which only worried Anna more, but she knew asking Jane herself would be like talking to a brick wall. So she talked to the others.

 

She decided she’d talk to Kat last- she wasn’t sure how the girl felt, and trying to talk to her by initiating conversation could lead to a less than desirable outcome. Boleyn had been sticking like glue to Kat’s side, which meant she and Jane hadn’t been spending much time together either. Which left Aragon and Parr.

 

And really, Parr was closer to Jane, so it would’ve made more sense to ask her first, but Anna and Aragon shared a dressing room, and it just so happened that, on Thursday, the day Jane was absent from the show, Boleyn got dressed after it faster than both Anna and Aragon had.

 

“Hey, do you have any idea what’s up with Jane?” Anna had asked nonchalantly, as she wiped away the makeup from the show.

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“She’s been more skittish. Spending less time in the house. And now she asks Grace to cover for her only one day in advance?” She asks rhetorically, spinning in her seat to look at Aragon. “Seems pretty weird to me.”

 

“I suppose so…” Aragon murmured in response, staring at the mirror in front of her before turning to face Anna. “It is pretty odd of her to ask for someone to cover so shortly in advance. Maybe she’s worried about Katherine’s… outburst?”

 

“Jane wouldn’t fake a doctor’s appointment just for that. It’s the fact that she couldn’t reschedule the doctor’s appointment that worries me.” Anna paused for a moment. “For that to happen, it means two things.” She held up her hand in a closed fist, raising one finger for each of her points as she announced them. “One, the appointment is on high demand. And two, the appointment is urgent enough that it can’t wait. Do you know what it means when that’s the case?”

 

Aragon nodded, staring at the table in front of her grimly. “The thing the appointment is about is really serious.”

 

“Exactly. And you know how anxious Jane gets when she’s sick. You also know how anxious Kat gets when any of us are sick. This is an awful combination, especially so soon after that outburst.” Anna finished, staring at Aragon as she waited for an answer.

 

“I suppose we have to wait and pray that nothing bad happens.” She finally replied, clutching her cross necklace while staring back at the table. Then she sighed and stood up. “I’m gonna head out. See you back home?”

 

Anna nodded, then watched as her band mate grabbed her bag and left their dressing room. Once she heard the click of the door closing, she sighed, then turned back to the mirror, wiping away her makeup while she mulled over what could be happening, despite her mind’s best efforts to get her to relax.

 

* * *

 

Kath had been feeling like absolute _shit_ the last few days. Yeah, sure, she’d talked to Anne. But that had been it. After that, the two had basically been glued at the hip, or better yet, Kath had been avoiding being near the rest of them apart from when strictly necessary. Thankfully, her band mates seemed to have caught onto this and had been respecting her space, which she appreciated.

 

However, her efforts were foiled when, after leaving her dressing room after the last show, she bumped into none other than Anna of Cleves. In the most literal sense of the word- they bumped into each other, causing Kath to stumble backwards ever so slightly.

 

“Jesus, sorry, I didn’t see you. You okay?” Anna asked. Kath didn’t give her an answer apart from a nod, which Anna retributed, and for a while they just stood there, both staring at the ground.

 

“Do you wanna walk home with me, Kat?” Anna suddenly offered, and Kath perked up at the familiar nickname. She nodded again, and Anna turned towards the exit, although still looking at Kath with her usual cocky smirk. “Try and keep up then.”

 

And with that she was off, leaving Kath to run after her to catch up. “That was mean, you know?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Tsk, _rude_.”

 

They both laughed as they exited the building, and then fell into silence as they began their walk home.

 

Not much more than a minute had passed when Anna spoke again. “Hey, Kat?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“Do you remember all the balls we used to dance at?”

 

Kath let out a quiet chuckle at that- for as much as she had utterly despised her time at court, the balls they would throw when Anna was visiting were one of the few times she actually enjoyed during that short period in her life. “Just about the only times I actually liked back then.”

 

_Kath stood by the edge of the ball room, surrounded by men and women all much older and much more well educated than her, at least in affairs such as this- a royal ball._

 

_Being raised at a place such as the Norfolk house meant that, while she was taught how to dance and sing and such, she had never learned how to present herself around royalty, which proved to be a challenge after she had been hoisted up the ranks to Queen of England, wife of Henry VIII._

 

_Her thoughts were interrupted by a familiar- and very much welcome voice. “Care to dance with me, your highness?” Katherine turned around to be met with none other than German princess Anna of Cleves, former Queen of England and Beloved Sister of the King, her hand outstretched._

 

_“Anna, please. Just Kath, formalities are dumb.” She giggled, taking her hand nevertheless. With a smile, she allowed herself to be led to the center of the ball room, setting her hand on Anna’s shoulder while the other woman set her free hand on Katherine’s waist._

 

_And just like that, they began the familiar dance they had taught each other over the few months they got before Henry began courting Katherine. Anna lead, as always, and Katherine found herself giggling as they went over every twist and turn and even the little lift that always made her heart do a little jump._

 

 _As they danced, Katherine couldn’t help but to admire Anna- so calm and carefree, so_ confident _in herself. She felt… jealous? And yet that didn’t quite fit what she was feeling. Admiration? It seemed closer, but not quite what it was either._

 

_She was torn from her inner monologue as Anna leaned closer, whispering in her ear just loud enough to be heard over the musicians. “This is becoming a little much. Would you accompany me on a walk around the castle grounds?”_

 

_Katherine smiled, before gasping softly and looking at Anna excitedly, almost hopefully. “Can we go see the hounds?” When she received confirmation, she grinned, having to hold back a squeal. “Then let’s go.”_

 

_Anna chuckled at this, taking her hand from Katherine’s waist before pulling her to the side and sneaking them both out of the room._

 

_Katherine ran ahead as they made their way out of the castle and over to where the hounds stayed when not out hunting with Henry. She could hear Anna’s footsteps a few meters behind her, but really she was more focused on the dogs._

 

_She gasped when one of them looked up and towards them, grinning as she knelt beside him to pet him. She heard a quiet laugh from behind her, and turned around to look at Anna._

 

_“I apologize. Your excitement is adorable, though.” Anna commented as another of the dogs approached. Kath blushed, watching as Anna turned around to pet him. “Well hello there.” She laughed as the dog tried to jump to lick her, holding him back._

 

_“Excitable, that one, isn’t he?” Katherine chipped in, standing up. She noticed the hound she’d been petting stand up, and reached out her hand to pet his head absentmindedly._

 

_The two walked around the castle grounds, the two hounds they’d been petting trotting not too far behind them, talking about everything and nothing. And when silence fell, it was one of the few times Katherine didn’t feel scared when such a thing happened. Silence with Anna was comfortable, not suffocating like with mostly everyone else, and they didn’t even need to try._

 

_They eventually stopped by the lake, sitting near the shore with the hounds free to run around nearby. They just sat and watched them, once again falling in comfortable silence._

 

_Silence that was unfortunately cut short by a courtier- Lawrence, she remembered; he’d joined the court not too long after her, being roughly around her age, if not a tad older. “Lady Anna, Lady Katherine.” He bowed before his queen and former queen, before rising to his full height. “Your Majesty requests your presence so that he may give the final toast and terminate the ball.”_

 

 _Katherine bit back a groan at that- she knew_ much _better than to argue with Henry, especially since he hadn’t been in the greatest mood lately._

 

_Anna huffed quietly as she stood up, then turned to offer a hand to Katherine. “C’mon then, we shouldn’t keep him waiting.”_

 

_Katherine smiled softly up at her, taking her hand and hoisting herself up. She noticed Lawrence whistle to get the hounds to come back to them, and then they began their walk back to the castle itself. Katherine stayed in the back, staring at the ground._

 

_“Hey, we’ve been over this. Chin up.” Anna corrected softly, using her index finger and her thumb to lift her chin. Katherine gave her a shy smile, and Anna smiled right back at her. “Das ist gut.” She praised, before turning back around and quickening her pace to catch up to Lawrence, something that Katherine was extremely thankful for, as it allowed her to hide the blush that she could feel warm her cheeks._

 

 _Yes, she would later decide, what Katherine felt for Anne was more than affection, and moreover, what she had with those men was_ definitely _not love._

 

The first ball that Anna had attended after Kath became queen flashed through her mind, although she had to linger on that final interaction.

 

Kath and Anna being gay hadn’t been a secret in a while, and although Anna was a lot more open about it, Kath didn’t make a secret out of it either. Admitting it to herself, however, had caused her to rethink a lot of situations from her past life.

 

And that had been one of them. She had a crush on Anna back then, plain and simple. It had taken her a while to realize it (curse her obliviousness), but she’d realized it, which painted nearly every interaction they’d had in a new light.

 

It also brought forward the question of, does she still have a crush on Anna? As far as she was aware, Kath’s answer was no, she no longer did. And after being separated for 500 or so years, you could hardly blame her. Still, the question stayed in her mind, lingering in the back and taunting her every so often. Kath ignored it though: with feelings, she’d rather just go with the flow and hope she didn’t do anything terribly wrong.

 

“Kat?” She nearly jumped when she heard Anna call her name, startled out of her train of thought, before laughing nervously to herself.

 

“Yeah?”  
  
Anna chuckled. “You were zoning out.” She pointed out, and Kath simply nodded, not sure the conversation was heading. “If you don’t mind me asking… What prompted that explosion the other day?”

 

Kath looked down at that, hesitating for a moment before sighing. “I was just… tired of keeping it in, I guess. My anger, I mean. What Catherine said wasn’t even that big of a deal, it was just… the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

 

Anna nodded, and Kath sighed quietly before leaning against her side. She felt Anna wrap her arm around her shoulders, and she let herself sink into her embrace. “Thanks. For not being mad at me for snapping.”

 

Anna didn’t answer, and for a moment Kath was afraid she’d screwed up. She was about to speak again when-

 

“Do you remember when you first became my lady in waiting?” Anna asked, unusually quiet and unusually serious.

 

Kath nodded, smiling sheepishly to herself. “I was really nervous.” She mumbled, fidgeting with her hands while the pair walked.

 

Anna nodded. “Yeah, I could tell. You looked completely out of your element. And you looked so confused…” She paused for a moment. “That’s why I spoke English around you. Figured I should make your time there a little easier.” Kath looked up, frowning as Anna kept her gaze away from her own. “Guess that was all for nothin’ tho, huh?” She muttered, letting out a quiet chuckle as she tightened her grip ever so slightly.

 

“Anna?” Kath asked softly, trying to get her to look at her.

 

“I’m fine, I just-” She stopped, sniffling, before finally looking down at her, smiling sheepishly through watery eyes. “Sometimes I wonder what would’ve happened if I’d tried harder. Actually, if I’d tried at all.” And with that, Anna let go of her, turning away from her to wipe away tears threatening to spill.

 

Kath stared at her for a moment, then studied their surroundings. Spotting a bench, she reached out gently to hold her hand, pulling her towards it and sitting them down there. “Anna, just listen to me for a moment, will you?”

 

Anna nodded, still teary eyes despite her best attempts to collect herself, and yet Kath continued. “You and I both know you couldn’t have done anything. At best, it’d change nothing. At worse, you’d get yourself killed alongside me. And don’t pull the “Oh, you don’t know that” card, because you and I both know trying to argue with Hen-” She choked when trying to say his name, emotions still much too high. “With _him_. So don’t blame yourself, Anna. It’s not your fault.”

 

Anna stared at her for a moment, then pulled her into a tight hug, which Kath quickly retributed. “I was so scared, when I finally remembered you,” She began, all but pulling Kath onto her lap, “that you hadn’t come back too. I’m glad we can be together again.”

 

Kath let out a soft whimper, pressing herself closer. “Yeah, me too.” She mumbled, then hissed quietly as she felt a sharp pain in the lower right side of her abdomen. “Shit, god damn it.” She muttered, moving her hands to hold onto her waist tightly.

 

“Are you alright?” Anna asked, pulling away near immediately, sitting there awkwardly.

 

“Yeah, just…” Kath slowly let go, and although the pain got slightly sharper for a moment, it didn’t take long for it to begin to lessen. “Period cramps. My period was due soon, so it’s no biggie, don’t worry about it.”

 

Anna nodded. “Want me to carry you home?” She offered with a small smile. Kath hesitated for a moment, then fell into her open arms, way too tired and in too much pain to care.

 

She was vaguely aware of Anna standing up and beginning to walk, but her brain decided to just, turn itself off for the rest of the way home, only really becoming aware when she was gently set down in front of their house, and even then she let herself lean against Anna until they had to walk again.

 

Once inside, Kath stretched up to give Anna a kiss on her cheek, at which Anna smiled before returning with a kiss on Kath’s forehead. “Take care of yourself, yeah?”

 

Kath nodded, pulling her into a quick hug before mumbling a tired “Good night, Anna” and heading upstairs to her room.


	4. 4. I'm So Used To Feeling Wrong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Katherine wakes up in the middle of the night and has a much needed talk with Aragon

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> heya everyone!!! i hope you like this story i wrote it in like, 2 hours but i do really like it so yee!!!

Kath was woken up in the middle of the night by a sharp pang in her abdomen. She groaned softly, clinging onto her stomach as she waited for the pain to subdue enough for her to be able to stand up and get some painkillers. “Fucking cramps…” She muttered to herself.

 

A few minutes passed until she was finally capable to stand up and waddle to the bathroom. She changed her pad, then went and grabbed some painkillers, taking them before quietly sneaking her way back into her room.

 

And then her stomach growled. Kath groaned softly, then glanced at the clock on the wall. _2:25 AM…_ Kath quietly cursed herself and her period, then made her way downstairs to the kitchen, not expecting anyone to be up.

 

But like it seemed to be the rule lately, someone was up, as indicated by the light still on in the kitchen. For a few seconds, she allowed herself to believe that maybe someone had left the light on, but then she peeked inside.

 

“Catherine?” She asked softly, opening the door a little more to let herself in. “What’s got you up this late?” The two stared at each other for a while, before Catherine broke the silence.

 

“I could ask you the same thing, Howard.” Kath had to hold back the urge to roll her eyes at Catherine’s never changing formality, and instead pulled a chair out and sat on it.

 

“Cramps. And then I got hungry.” She explained, receiving a nod in return.

 

“That makes two of us. There’s leftovers from dinner, do you want some?” Kath smiled a little at the offer, nodding.

 

Just a few minutes had passed before the two were seated in front of each other, eating in awkward and tense silence. Not too long after, Kath spoke up again.

 

“Listen, um, about the other day.” She paused as Catherine looked up, making sure she had her attention before she continued. “I’m sorry I snapped so much. I was angry, yeah, but not at you, you know? It was just-”  
  
“The straw that broke the camel’s back?” Kath nodded, and Catherine gave her a small, if not a little tight, smile. “Yes, I figured as much. You were right, by the way. You simply put your argument in the wrong way.”   
  
“I was too heated.” The two nodded, and Kath giggled a little. “Yeah, so I gather.”

 

“I’d thought about it before, you know. About whether he actually loved us or not.” Kath nodded, leaning forward ever so slightly as Catherine spoke again. “I realized he didn’t love us a while back. I just had no other way of putting it. I apologize.”

 

“No need to.” Kath waved a hand through the air, noticing the way Catherine looked up ever so slightly at this. “I understand, it- it can be difficult for one to accept that someone didn’t love them when that was your reality for so long.”

 

Catherine nodded. “You and I have something in common. We both stayed silent to please him up until the very end.” Kath glanced up, frowning as she wondered where Catherine was going with this. “And yet we never actually grew close, did we? I find that a shame.”  
  
Kath nodded, a small smile crossing her face. “It really is. We should hang out together sometime soon.” They both nodded at that, laughing quietly at the same time.

 

The two fell back into silence, this time more relaxed, but once again it was cut short, this time by Kath yelping quietly as she felt another cramp.

 

“Katherine, are you alright?” Catherine stood up, alarm in her face as she walked around the table to meet Kath.

 

“I’ll be fine, just- periods, you know?” She gave her a sheepish smile, and even she could tell Catherine wasn’t convinced. “Seriously Catherine, I’m fine. This period’s cramps are just being more painful than usual, it’s no big deal.”

 

Catherine studied her for a moment, then offered her hand. “You should go rest then. Periods drain you a lot.” Her voice was unusually soft, an odd but nevertheless nice change. Kath took her hand, and let herself be led back to her room and onto her bed.

 

Once she’d laid down, she felt the covers be pulled up around her, and she clung onto them. She felt herself slowly drift off while Catherine left, barely managing a quiet “goodnight” before she actually fell asleep, and certainly not staying up for Catherine’s response.

 

“Goodnight, Mary.”

* * *

 

Catherine herself hadn’t quite registered the words she’d spoken until she’d closed the door, at which point both her hands shot up to cover her mouth. She stood there in the middle of the hall for a few seconds, before taking a deep breath and making herself walk back to her room, sitting on her bed before laying down, covering her eyes with her arm.

 

That she missed her daughter was nothing new- well, maybe to the others it was, since she’d rarely talk about it, but to herself, it most certainly was not. And she had to admit, small moments like the one just now where she got to watch out for the others in a near motherly way made her remember times spent with Mary.

 

“I guess I just hadn’t realized how much it did.” She murmured to herself, moving her arm so it was laying beside of her instead.

 

But she had to admit, putting Katherine to bed did remind her of taking care of Mary, in a good way. To have the chance to be a mother again… maybe Jane was the one who sung about it during the show, but she related to the feeling just as much as Jane did.

 

She doubted they were the only ones- Boleyn and Parr had been mothers as well, for however short amounts of times it had been, and she thought it fair to assume that, even if they didn’t talk about it, they could relate to Jane’s solo as much as she could.

 

Her train of thought was interrupted when she felt a tear trail down her cheek. “Damn it…” She muttered, sitting up and reaching up to wipe it away. And then another fell. And another. And another. And another. Over and over, tears began to fall, and it seemed like, the more she tried to wipe them away, the more tears fell.

 

It was frustrating. She’d always hated crying, even in private. She saw it as a sign of losing her composure, and keeping it was her golden rule. Even after she’d stopped crying, sometimes she’d find herself mentally berating herself for days on end for it.

 

She found herself silently praying that that wasn’t the case as she wiped away the last few tears, then sighed shakily to herself, staring up at the ceiling. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of this new discovery, or rather acceptance of this part of herself. But she decided that, maybe it was best to deal with that in the morning, once she’d gotten some rest.

 

As she got ready for bed, she found herself thinking back on the offer Katherine had made. “Hanging out more…” She echoed to herself, letting the words hang in the air. Perhaps spending more times with her fellow queens was what she needed. Isolating herself seemed to have only led to her suppressing her emotions, and although maybe that was what worked in the past, it didn’t seem to be what worked now. And, she supposed as times changed, so did she have to, right?


	5. These New Walls Are Pretty Hard To Crack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Catherine has two conversations that are much more personal than usual

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title Inspiration- Arms Unfolding by Dodie
> 
> okay first of all picking a title was so hard because so many lines fit so w e l l  
> with that out of the way, this is also a birthday gift for my girl @the-quiet-winds on tumblr, so go wish her a happy birthday and give her tons of love!!! she more than deserves it.  
> so hey, julie, whenever you read this, i love you. i know we've only known each other for a few months but you genuinely became one of my closest friends very, very quickly, and i'm so fucking glad you're in my life. i love you so so so so so much <3 <3  
> with the sappy stuff out of the way, this is probably the second to last chapter of this fic. i'm hella proud of myself for managing to go this far with a passion project for so long, and i can only hope there are many more to come!! so, with all that out of the way, enjoy the second to last chapter of the kitty snaps fic. hope you all like it <3
> 
> trigger warnings- implied cancer mentions, it’s really tiny but just in case. be safe guys, gals and non binary pals <3

A part of Catherine had been tempted to go after Kath the moment she’d ran to her room after blowing up on them.

 

The rest of her knew that doing that would only scare off the already skittish girl, and after such an emotional outburst, she knew it was the worst possible move.

 

So she’d spent the following day closed off in her room, only leaving to get the lunch that Jane typically left for her in the kitchen at 1 pm, as per her usual routine on days off.

 

The following few days, unlike most weeks during which nothing noteworthy happened to separate them, didn’t blur together, instead seeming to drag on with two more personal than usual conversations to mark two separate days, and also as she watched her fellow queens’ reaction to Kath’s outburst.

 

In all honesty, Catherine herself fully agreed with everything Kath had said- the fact that Henry didn’t love her was a realization she’d come to terms a good while ago, and while she definitely wouldn’t have told them as harshly as Kath had, she understood that emotions could easily prevent one from acting rationally.

 

Anne seemed to be the one Kath stuck with more, and adding that with the footsteps she’d heard late at night on their day off, she’d assumed the pair had talked then. Anna and Aragon seemed to just go on as usual, although Anna did seem more tense than normal.

 

And then there was Jane. The woman seemed to have retreated into her shell, avoiding the others as much as possible. And then using the doctor’s appointment excuse? Needless to say, Catherine was quite worried about her.

 

Thus, right as they got home the day of Jane’s appointment, Catherine pulled her to her room-turned-study. “Okay, what’s been going on with you?”

 

In all fairness, Catherine had acted a bit on impulse- she didn’t exactly know what she was expecting Jane to do. But for her to immediately sigh and stare at the ground was not exactly what she expected. Especially because it looked as if Jane was about to explain what she had been up to, and Jane didn’t open up easily.

 

“Everything’s fine. They thought they’d found a lump in my breast, and thought it was…” She nodded to the side, and Catherine grimaced at that. “It wasn’t actually anything, but better safe than sorry.”

  
  
Catherine nodded, taking her hand. “So that’s why you’ve been so closed off.” Jane nodded, her eyes still trained on the ground. “Well, I’m glad it wasn’t actually anything. Go rest, yeah? I’d assume tonight was quite the emotional rollercoaster.” She gave her fellow queen a soft smile, one that was sheepishly returned.

 

“I will. And so should you.” Catherine’s smile faltered slightly at Jane’s pointed tone, though she didn’t give any more of a response until Jane continued. “I’m serious, Catherine. You need rest.”

 

Catherine gave her a soft sigh, nodding with a weak smile. “I’ll do my best.”

 

“That’s all I can ask of you, love.”

 

* * *

 

And that was how, if you really cared to know, Catherine had found out just  _ what _ had been going on with the usually outgoing queen. Though she was fairly sure the other queens hadn’t a clue what had happened to Jane, she also wasn’t one to force someone to come forward about it, and so she stayed silent.

 

It was two days later, on their first two show day of the week, when Catherine had the second talk of the week.

 

It was after their first show, and it started with Catherine sitting alone in her shared dressing room with Kath and Jane while reading, when Kath walked in, back from her usual post-show walk with Anna, though Catherine didn’t have much of a reaction to her beyond looking up when she came in.

 

The pair stayed in silence for a few minutes, both ignoring the clear tension so thick you could cut through it with a knife, before Catherine finally decided to bite the bullet, closing her book. “You weren’t wrong, the other day.”

 

“Uh?”

 

Catherine gave an amused smile at her inelegant response. “Last week, about Henry? You weren’t wrong.” She elaborated softly. “I’m sure someone else has already told you that, but still.”

 

Kath nodded slowly, then spoke up. “I’m sor-”

  
  
“Don’t.” Catherine cut her off, giving the younger queen a gentle smile as she looked up in slight shock. “Really, I don’t hold anything against you. It sounded like you’d been keeping that in for quite a while.” She sighed softly, scooting her chair over to sit closer to Kath. “I just want to know, why’d you keep it in for so long?”

 

Kath seemed to fold into herself, staring at the table ahead of her, and Catherine was about to tell her to forget it when she spoke up.

 

“I was scared.” Kath seemed to surprise herself with her admission, and Catherine would’ve replied if Kath hadn’t kept talking. “I was scared, that you guys would just, shut it down. That’s all that had happened with… with  _ them _ .” Kath gave a soft sigh. “So I put new walls up. And walls are even harder to crack if you put them up yourself.”

 

Catherine watched her for a second, then gave a mournful smile. “Agreed.” She began softly. “But that doesn’t mean you need to do it on your own. You’ve got people on your corner now, kid. You don’t need to run away anymore.”

 

Kath gave her a soft smile, and Catherine was about to continue when she noticed a slight haze covering Kath’s eyes.

 

The next 15 seconds were a blur Catherine’s “Is something wrong?” went unheard, and before she knew it, she was reaching forward to catch the younger queen as her eyes closed and she fell forward, unconscious.


	6. could you love this? would this one be right? well if i'm being honest, i'm hoping it might

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A much needed conversation is finally had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title Inspiration- If I'm Being Honest by Dodie
> 
> so. here we are. last chapter, huh?  
> we've come a long way, honestly- can you believe it's been six months?- and i've changed a lot since the first chapter. not just as a writer, but as a person. and this is gonna sound sappy, but i owe a lot of it to this fic. it's the first multi-chapter i've finished and the first fic i've ever posted. i don't know where i'd be without it- and quite honestly, i don't want to know. but i do have some people to thank, in no particular order (and these are all tumblr urls so just bear with me here).  
> first of all, one of, if not the first person to ever know of this fic's existence, @ichlugebulletsandcornnuts, who was the actual sweetest when reacting to it and was one of the main forces behind me beginning to post my stuff. thank you so much for everything, i owe you so much 💙💖  
> then, the actual ray of sunshine who beta-read through this fic, @lailaliquorice, who has been nothing but a positive force in my life and is just an all around great friend and is again, an actual ray of sunshine personified. so laila, thank you for everything and i hope i get to hold you again soon, sunshine 💖💙  
> next, @i-was-a-writer, someone who's been nothing but supportive and enthusiastic about everything i've told them about, and who's helped me keep a level head when my mind decided to be bitch so many times. thank you for helping me and supporting me, rico, i'm so glad you're in my life 💙💖  
> but obviously this wouldn't be complete with the actual angel in my life who's been there for me since fucking day one, @the-quiet-winds. when i first dmed you julie, with that crappy ass maragon fic, i had no clue that i would find one of the most supportive and fantastic people in my life. i'm not joking when i say that you've changed my life. i love you so fucking much my angel, you're the best older sister i could ever ask for 💖💙  
> and last but definitely not least, you all, who have read, liked, reblogged and commented on any of my fics. i wouldn't be where i am today without you all, and thank you all for giving me a reason to keep on posting them. i love you all 💙💖  
> i'll probably rewrite this fic eventually. i've considered maybe from a different point of view? we'll see. but for now, this is the end.  
> so with all the sappy stuff out of the way, sit back and enjoy the last chapter of the kitty snaps fic. it's been a wild ride, but a good one. thank you all for everything 💖💙
> 
> Trigger Warnings- Hospitals, mentions of appendicitis, surgery, and stabbing in the context of a metaphor. As always, ask me to tag anything

The day had started… Well, definitely not well, considering her and Kitty’s… situation, but not terribly, all things considered. At least, Jane had managed to stick to her usual routine, which considering how chaotic things had been lately, was a win in her books.

 

Well, until she’d gotten that phonecall while on her way back to the theatre from her break between the two shows. She’d nearly let her phone fall right then and there as she heard Cathy retell how Kitty had fainted and how she’d had to call an ambulance, and that they were currently on their way to the hospital.

 

As soon as she knew where they were heading, Jane made her way to her car, not daring to hang up in case she’d miss any updates from Cathy, just barely keeping herself from speeding there as she drove to the hospital.

 

She was just barely out of the car when she noticed Cathy running over, and swiftly she pulled her band mate into a hug, that was cut short by the latter pulling away. “It’s appendicitis.” Cathy explained without much pretense, and Jane herself could only barely mask her panic. “She’s in surgery right now.”

 

She felt Cathy’s hand give her own a light squeeze as, at least she assumed, her expression begin in morph into one of panic. “Hey, breathe. Times have changed, love, especially in this regard. It’ll be alright.”

 

Jane forced herself to take in a deep breath, nodding quickly. “Right, well, let’s go in, yes?”

 

The time spent in a waiting room felt like torture for Jane. The other queens had tried to get her mind out of it, but eventually they’d had to go on and thus it was just her and Cathy, whose mood wasn’t much better than her own. Finally, she resorted to simply watching the time, waiting in silence as she tried not to slip into panic.

 

She looked up from her lap when she hear three sets of footsteps rush over, watching as Catherine, Anne and Anna rushed over. She vaguely listened as Cathy gave them the same explanation she’d given Jane, before they all sat down near them. To her surprise, she noticed Anne sit down on her free side, and then they all fell into silence.

 

It was a few minutes later when she felt a light tap on her knee, and she looked up to face Anne, who nodded towards the door before getting up- a silent invitation for her to follow.

 

So she did. Jane followed Anne outside, and they stood there in silence for a moment before the latter spoke. “How’re you holding up?”

 

Jane couldn’t help but role her eyes at that. “Take a guess.” She muttered out, a seldom-heard bitterness lacing her words.

 

“Welcome to the club.” Anne replied with a shrug, leaning against the wall. They fell into silence for a while longer, before Anne spoke up again. “I’m not gonna say all that “oh, times have changed” bullshit because you and I both know that’s not gonna help. But Kitty’s tough, even if she doesn’t seem like it. She’ll be alright.” Anne seemed to pause for a minute, and Jane opened her mouth to speak before she continued. “And if you need to talk about it, which no one can blame you for, we’re all here for you.”

 

Jane nodded, but whatever she was going to give as a reply disappeared when she noticed Catherine go through the doors.

 

“Jane, she’s awake, and she’s looking for you.”

 

* * *

 

Kath had woken up to dull noises and a hazy vision. She just barely remembered asking for Jane, but now that she was slightly more awake and sitting on the hospital bed cross legged, she couldn’t help but lightly bite her bottom lip in anxiety as she waited for Jane to come.

 

_ If she did come. _

 

The thought snaked its way into her mind nearly silently, only to immediately hit her like a truck.  _ Would _ Jane want to come see her? After her outburst, and her behaviour following it… She couldn’t help but worry, wrapping her arms around her waist as tightly as she could without it hurting.

 

She was snapped out of her reverie by the sound of the door opening, and she swallowed dryly as she waited to see who it was.

 

And it was Jane.

 

Kath wasn’t quite sure what went through her mind once she’d seen her. All she knew was that a sudden wave of emotions hit her far too quickly, and a word she’d been wanting to say for god knew how long finally made its way out her mouth.

 

_ “Mama.” _

 

She wasn’t sure what Jane’s immediate reaction had been, but she did remember quiet footsteps hurrying over, and a gentle kiss being pressed on the top of her head, followed by a dip on the mattress next to her and Jane pulling her into her hold, which she sunk into, her face buried in Jane’s shoulder as she let out a week’s worth of emotions through her tears.

 

“I’ve got you, love.” Jane’s voice felt just a bit more distant than it should be, and so Kath pulled her tighter, whimpering softly. “It’s alright.” She focused on Jane’s soft touches and words, using them to keep herself grounded as she cried in Jane’s hold.

 

As the tears slowly started to slow, Kath’s hold on Jane slackened while she slowly,  _ slowly _ processed just  _ what _ she’d called Jane before her outburst. Once it hit, though, she all but jumped out of Jane’s arms, not even able to look Jane in the eyes as she mumbled out a teary “I’m sorry.”

 

“What for, love?” Jane’s gentle yet confused tone only served to push the metaphorical knife deeper into her heart, twisting it around so it’d cause her even more agony.

 

“For calling you…” Kath gave a sideways nod, hoping Jane would get the message. It would seem she did, though her response was nothing like the one Kath had been expecting.

 

“Oh, darling…” Kath froze when Jane cupped her cheek, finally looking up to meet Jane’s soft gaze. “It’s alright, dear. I’m not mad.”

 

“You should be!” Kath finally exclaimed, sitting up straight. Jane recoiled her hand in shock, and so Kath made herself slow down a bit. “I was  _ awful  _ to you last week. An- And I’ve been ignoring you ever since and I-”

 

“Kitty.” Jane’s firm yet soft voice snapped her out of her reverie, getting her to focus on Jane. “You were understandably angry, love. I should have listened to you, and I’m sorry you felt like you had to lash out for us to listen. And…” Jane paused then, and Kath braced herself for the worst.

 

“And you’re right.” She blinked at that reply, tipping her head to the side ever so slightly. “You’re right, he wasn’t- he didn’t love us.” Jane finally murmured out, and it was then Kath noticed an odd sort of vulnerability that she couldn’t recall the last time she’d seen on the eyes of the third queen.

 

“M- I mean, Jane-”   
  
“If you want to call me mum, you can.” Jane interjected softly, giving Kath a soft smile when she looked up in shock. “I mean it, love. We can ignore it and pretend it never happened, or, if you’d like, you can call me it. Whatever you’re comfortable with, love.”

 

Kath found herself pondering on that for a few moments, she’d wager maybe a minute, then nodded and fell back against Jane. “Well, mum,” she spoke the word slowly, almost hesitantly, but the light squeeze from Jane’s arm around her shoulders pushed her to continue, “it’s alright. And, I’m sorry for losing my cool like that.”

 

She felt herself relax even further into Jane’s embrace, struggling to keep her eyes open as emotional and physical exhaustion began to seep in after the incredibly loaded conversation she’d just had. She perked slightly when she felt a light pressure on top of her head. “Sleep, my little love. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

 

Jane’s soft words were all she needed to fully relax, and although she didn’t feel like everything was fine just yet, she felt like things were heading there. Slowly, but surely, she’d get there, she found herself promising to herself, no matter how long it took.


End file.
